Modern imaging instruments, such as computed tomography scanners or magnetic resonance imaging scanners, allow the generation of high-resolution images of the interior of a body of a human for examinations and for diagnostic purposes. The generation of such high-resolution images also extends to tubular tissue structures, for example blood-carrying vessels or vessel systems, in humans using e.g. CT angiography (CTA) under administration of a contrast agent in order to be able to identify anomalies, such as stenoses or aneurysms, in the vessels or the vessel system and monitor changes, more particularly increases in size, within the scope of a subsequent examination, which is so-called follow up examination.
Should an aneurysm be identified, the maximum diameter of the aneurysm is generally established and stored. During a follow up examination, carried out at a later date, the maximum diameter of the aneurysm is determined once again in order to establish the increase in the maximum diameter of the aneurysm. If the maximum diameter of the aneurysm increases by more than 1 cm within a year, it is suggested to treat the aneurysm by surgery (cf. Brewster, D. C.; Cronenwett, J. L.; Hallett, J. W.; Johnston, K. W.; Krupski, W. C.; Matsumura, “Guidelines for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms”, Report of a subcommittee of the Joint Council of the American Association for Vascular Surgery and Society for Vascular Surgery, Journal of Vascular Surgery, Volume 37, No. 5, 2003, pages 1106-1117).
The ever-improving image quality that can be obtained in modern imaging instruments goes hand in hand with an increasing number of images to be diagnosed. The upshot of this is that, for example, when images of blood-carrying vessels are diagnosed in respect of aneurysms, the effort required for viewing and evaluating the images is relatively high, particularly for determining the change in the maximum diameter of each aneurysm. Moreover, there is the risk of overlooking an aneurysm or measuring it incorrectly.